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Bill protecting unlicensed buildings on coastline revised

A controversial draft bill that has been widely criticized as giving the green light to illegal construction on the country’s coasts has been revised by the government and resubmitted to Parliament.

The bill that was presented to lawmakers by Deputy Finance Minister Katerina Papanatsiou on Monday contains a number of changes, most significant of which is the cancellation of a clause giving the owners of illegal buildings on beaches the right to protection from demolition. The alterations were made following the recommendations of Parliament’s Scientific Service, which found that the controversial clause violated constitutional laws for the protection of the environment.

The new draft adds, however, that structures that went up after July 28, 2011, may be salvaged if they “serve the purposes of national defense and security, [or concern] projects of national importance and infrastructure work for public utilities.”